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Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days Lyrics
You’re the one who ran in the wild ‘cause
You’re the one the wild called
And you’re the one who followed the child
To save the sun from how it falls
You’re the one who had knives
Set aside for the throats of hunters
But they tricked you with a trinket and a name
+ I’m the one who sat at your capture
+ I’m the one who whispered low
That’s the one who followed the child to save the son
And look–it’s starting to snow!
Whoah-oh-oh-ho-oh…
You’re the one who’s riding about on a leopard.
You’re the one who’s throwing the shiv in the air!
You’re the one whose wild hide will weather
In the weathering days to a leather
Made for princes to lay their princely heads of hair
Upon the end of your feral days
Upon the end of your feral days
Upon the end of your feral days
Oh-oh-oh
You’re the one who ran in the wild a virgin to a name;
You’re the one who lived off a forsaken land.
I’m the one who sat at your capture
And let the snow fall on this whispering rapture
You’re the one who’s kissing your captor’s hands
“Well shit, I know we’re all growing old.
But where there’s a will, there is a way
So way to go.”
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye–bye-bye-bye
‘Cause you’re the one who’s riding around on a leopard; (ba-da-dum)
You’re the one who’s throwing dead birds in the air.
And you’re the one whose wild hide will weather
In the weathering days to a leather, made soft,
So princes can lay down their princely white heads! OF HAIR!
Say goodbye…
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye–bye-bye-bye.
Your highness is holding your chains.
You’re the one the wild called
And you’re the one who followed the child
To save the sun from how it falls
You’re the one who had knives
Set aside for the throats of hunters
But they tricked you with a trinket and a name
+ I’m the one who whispered low
That’s the one who followed the child to save the son
And look–it’s starting to snow!
You’re the one who’s throwing the shiv in the air!
You’re the one whose wild hide will weather
In the weathering days to a leather
Made for princes to lay their princely heads of hair
Upon the end of your feral days
Upon the end of your feral days
Upon the end of your feral days
You’re the one who lived off a forsaken land.
I’m the one who sat at your capture
And let the snow fall on this whispering rapture
You’re the one who’s kissing your captor’s hands
But where there’s a will, there is a way
So way to go.”
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye–bye-bye-bye
You’re the one who’s throwing dead birds in the air.
And you’re the one whose wild hide will weather
In the weathering days to a leather, made soft,
So princes can lay down their princely white heads! OF HAIR!
Say goodbye to your feral days.
Say goodbye–bye-bye-bye.
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The ending of this song is the kind of sing-songy, desperate melancholy chorus the Arcade Fire wished Neon Bible had.
Well the second verse is off...the real lyrics are:
Now you’re the one who’s riding around on a leopard You’re the one who’s throwing the shit in the air You’re the one whose wild hide will weather in the weathering days To a leather made for princes To lay their princely heads of hair Upon the end of your feral days
the second to last should say:
Because you’re the one who’s riding around on a leopard You’re the one who’s throwing dead birds in the air (And they will stay dead there) You’re the one whose wild hide will weather in the weathering days To a leather made soft So princes can lay down their princely white heads of hair
I remember the beginning of this song from a show back in the spring. It was soooooo awesome then and remains so.
This song is about two middle aged lovers, one who is resigned to aging, the other stays young at heart. At least it sounds that way to me.
I think that, towards the end, the line should still be "a leather made soft" as opposed to "a lover made soft."
This song is a statement on the nature of freedom. I think its Spencer Krug's desperate scolding of an ex lover or friend who has become enslaved by something. The song illustrates the grotesque and absurd fact that we resign ourselves to entrapment.
sounds to me like the narrator saved a wild woman from execution by accusing someone else of her crime, but she reciprocates by running off with the king (or someone of royal blood, "kissing your captor's hand" and then "your highness is holding your chains").
there are some lyrics errors also. esp in the first part, where it should be "wild hide will weather, in the weathering days to wear leather made soft so princes can lay . . ." (same with later on in the song).
she was planning to kill someone, but then she was captured with a trinket and a name (they told her they knew someone she knew, maybe had one of that person's possessions? maybe the narrator on both counts?).
...ryan
It sounds to me like the song is about a person who just goes crazy and does whatever they want to do, completely disregarding things like laws and rules. Whenever he/she gets caught he/she acts all sorry and upset, hence "kissing your captor's hands". Krug is the one who always has to come and get him/her out of trouble and explain to him that he can't just go around doing whatever he wants or else it could have consequences. However, Krug's friend, although he listens, it never lasts for long and he just goes back at it, and, in the end, his friend crosses the line, and gets caught for good, the end of his feral days. So basically, the moral is that we can go crazy and do whatever we want, but abide by laws and rules, or it could have dire consequences in the end.
Trinket and a name = Wedding Ring and Surname...that seems to be the key here. A wild woman getting older settles and accepts an offer for marriage. Krug says"Im the one who sat at your capture" which gives hint that he's the husband. At the end, your highness (the husband) is holding your chains (wedding vows). There are still a few things Im trying work thru to get this 100% though.
@misinterpretation
Man fucking spot on interpretation! I knew it was about lovers growing old together; where one was having trouble letting go of their wild youthful days but you put the symbolism in perfect light!